MAtCHing And indUStRy SMALL gRAnt COMPEtitiOnS

Understanding fungicide insensitivity on pumpkins infected with powdery mildew

James R. Jasinski, Ohio State University Extension Sally A. Miller, Plant Pathology Robert J. Precheur, Horticulture and Crop Science Landon H. Rhodes, Plant Pathology Richard M. Riedel, Plant Pathology Pumpkins sold for the Halloween holiday are an important autumn crop for Ohio growers, bringing in an estimated $22.5 million in 2009. However, the disease powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) causes significant yield and quality reduction every year in pumpkin and other cucurbit crops (e.g. melons, squash, and cucumbers). Over the past few years, anecdotal evidence from northern Ohio growers has suggested that specific fungicides were losing their effectiveness in controlling powdery mildew (PM) infections in pumpkins. This may be a sign the pathogen has developed insensitivity to these fungicides. Past research from Ohio and around the north central and northeastern United States has shown that the strobiluron class of fungicides tends to be ineffective at controlling PM, but demethylation-inhibiting (DMI) fungicides can better control diseases when used at higher rates. This experiment was designed to validate previous findings that the cucurbit PM pathogen is not fully controlled by specific fungicides used in Ohio. The project tested fungicide-treated pumpkin seedlings that were raised in a greenhouse, transported to the field for PM inoculation, and then taken back to the greenhouse. The research team observed over time the seedlings exposed to PM spores at five locations around Ohio to determine which commonly used fungicides effectively controlled PM development on pumpkin leaves. All fungicides were applied at high rates to a PM-susceptible and a PM-tolerant cultivar, and there was also an untreated control group of seedlings. Powdery mildew development and severity varied by location, cultivar, and fungicide, which is reflected in a

Robert J. Precheur (left) and James R. Jasinski

commonly used measure the Area Under the Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC). Based on the AUDPC values at all five locations, only four treatments performed significantly better on both the susceptible and PM-tolerant cultivars than the untreated seedlings. The research determined that the fungicide Quintec controlled PM nearly ten times better than the next-best fungicides evaluated, regardless of cultivar susceptibility, even under very heavy PM pressure. To combat PM, this fungicide should be incorporated into the rotation early in the season and used according to label restrictions, although it will not control other cucurbit diseases. Certain other fungicides controlled PM well and should be considered as rotational partners with Quintec. To minimize disease resistance, broad-spectrum fungicides need to be tankmixed with other materials where appropriate. Future research in this area will concentrate on evaluating different groups of compounds, such as certified organic or fungicides derived from natural organisms, using the same experimental design described in this report. Because PM resistance is a moving target, new products need to be continually tested in order to manage this disease and to sustain pumpkin as a profitable seasonal crop in Ohio.

The disease powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) causes significant yield and quality reduction every year in pumpkin and other cucurbit crops.

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SEEDS: The OARDC Research Enhancement Competitive Grants Program